Roll-out cart with lid latch

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a residential-sized waste disposal roll-out cart that includes a latch that automatically latches a lid in the fully opened position with the lid in dose proximity to the side of the bin. When the bin is tilted on to the wheels to be rolled, the lid remains in close proximity to the side of the bin, rather than hanging down towards the ground. In this way, the lid remains out of the space where a user might step. A lid reinforcement structure may be used to increase the strength and wear of the lid where it engages the latch.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/724,249, filedMay 28, 2015, which claimed priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to provisionalapplications U.S. Serial No. 62/005,690 filed May 30, 2014 and U.S.Serial No. 62/020,388 filed Jul. 2, 2014, all of which are hereinincorporated by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates generally to roll-out carts used to dispose ofwaste, and more specifically to improved roll-out carts that include amechanism to hold the lid in a fully opened position.

BACKGROUND OF TIRE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to two-wheel roil-out carts that areused for garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection, These roll-outcarts are residential-sized roll-out bins that are used to store wastefor short periods of time before collection. Typically the bins holdabout 50-100 gallons (220-440 liters) of waste, with the most popularcurrent sizes being 95 gallons and 65 gallons. According to a commondesign, one side of the bin includes a handle structure at an upper endand a pair of wheels at a lower end. A lid is hingedly attached at thissame side of the bin, commonly at the handle structure. The oppositeside of the bin may be provided with a transverse bar that is used by anautomated truck that collects the waste from the bin by lifting andtipping the bin. These rollout waste bins have made waste collectionmore efficient.

The large size of the bins permits the bins to hold a large volume ofwaste, thereby permitting a user to transport all of their garbage tothe pickup location (typically roadside) in a single trip. The wheelsare necessary, or at least highly desirable, to permit a user tomaneuver a filled bin. In order to move the bin, a user tips the bin onto the two wheels using the handle and then pushes or pulls the bin in arolling fashion.

In order to permit automated dumping of the bins, the hinge for the lidis offset from the large upper opening so as not to interfere with theflow of waste out of the bin when the bin is inverted for dumping. Dueto the offset, the lid hangs down along the side of bin when fullyopened. The free end (distal end) of the lid is near ground level whenfully opened, especially so when the bin is tipped on to the wheels tobe moved.

This results in a surprisingly dangerous condition as illustrated inFIGS. 1A-D. Specifically, as the bin is tilted to the transportposition, the lid can come into very close proximity or even intocontact with the ground as shown in FIG. 1A. In this position, it iseasy for a user to inadvertently step on the lid as shown in FIG. 1B.With the user stepping on the lid, the wheels can continue to roll awayfrom the user for a short distance, but the upper portion of the bin isconstrained by the lid, which can cause the bin to suddenly andviolently tip over onto the ground as shown in FIG. 1C. This sudden andunexpected tipping of the bin can trip and pull the user to the ground,which can injure the user either from direct contact with the bin or theground as seen in FIG. 1D. Cuts, contusions, broken bones, broken eyesockets, concussions, neck injuries, and strained ligaments are commoninjuries.

Some roll-out waste carts include mechanisms for supporting the lids ina partially open position (typically about 80-120 degrees from theclosed position), An example of this feature is shown, for example inU.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0214400. This feature of holding thelid in a partially opened position is provided so that a user does notneed to open the lid every time they want to add waste to the bin, andso a that user does not need to choose between fully opening the lid,which can require significant clearance space, or supporting the lidwith the user's hand while adding waste, which can be cumbersome.Unfortunately, supporting the lid in a partially opened position oftenexacerbates the instability problem because it moves weight up and oftenoutside the base of support for the bin, and because the partiallyopened lid extending above the waste bin can catch wind. All of thesefactors tend to make the waste bin less stable and prone to tipping.

A safer alternative is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved residential-sized wastedisposal roll-out cart that is safer than existing products.Specifically, one of the dangers of residential-sized waste bins of thetype described herein is that the lid comes into close proximity orcontact with the ground when the wheeled bin is tilted to permit rollingtransportation of the bin. The lid is then subject to snagging, orcommonly being stepped upon by a user, which can cause the cart tosuddenly and unexpectedly tip over, which can cause significant traumato a user, including bruises, lacerations, contusions, and fractures.The present invention overcomes this difficulty by automaticallylatching the lid in the fully opened position with the lid in closeproximity to the side of the bin. Accordingly, when the bin is tilted onto the wheels to be rolled, the lid remains in close proximity to theside of the bin, rather than hanging down directly towards the ground.in this way, the lid remains out of the space where a user might step.Furthermore, the lid secured in the fully open position is much lesslikely to snag on the ground, and will not be pulled back to a todangerous position if it does snag the ground. Preferably, the weight ofthe lid will be sufficient to automatically activate the latch, suchthat the lid will be captured in the fully opened position, simply byvirtue of opening the lid and allowing it to fall to its fully openedposition. When it is desired to close the lid, a user can simply adjustthe latch to a released position and rotate the lid back to the fullyclosed position.

According to one embodiment, the present invention is a waste disposalroll-out cart that has a container with an open top. The container has ahandle at a first side of the container. A pair of wheels is mounted tothe container proximate to the first side of the container. A lid ishingedly attached to the container proximate to the first side of thecontainer. The lid is adjustable between a closed position covering theopen top and a fully open position wherein a free end of the lid isrotated to be proximate to the first side of the container. A latchingassembly automatically engages the lid to retain the lid in the fullyopen position. The latching assembly may include a base plate mounted tothe container with a resilient arm extending from the base. A catchstructure may be provided at a free end of the resilient arm, The catchstructure includes a catch that extends below the resilient arm and acam surface that faces generally outwardly away from the container. Theresilient arm urges the catch into a catching position that interfereswith an arc of rotation for the lid to retain the lid in the fully openposition. The lid may include a reinforcing structure at an inner edgethat contacts the catch as the lid moves into the fully open positionfrom a closed position. The base plate may be located at handlesupporting structure.

According to another embodiment, the present invention is a method ofmoving a waste disposal roll-out cart. The roll-out cart has a containerwith an open top, a handle on the container at a first side of thecontainer, a pair of wheels mounted to the container proximate to thefirst side of the container, a Rd hingedly attached to the containerproximate to the first side of the container, the lid being adjustablebetween a closed position covering the open top and a fully openposition wherein a free end of the lid is rotated to be proximate to thefirst side of the container; and a latching assembly that automaticallyengages the lid to retain the lid in the fully open position. The lid isadjusted to the fully open position such that the lid is engaged by thelatching assembly. The roll-out cart is tilted toward the first sidesuch that the roll-out cart is completely supported on the wheels withthe lid remaining in the fully open position retained by the latchingassembly. The tilted cart is rolled on the wheels with the lid remainingin the fully open position retained by the latching assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side view of a prior art roll-out cart with the lid in anopen position, and the cart tilted for rolling.

FIG. 1B shows the prior art cart of FIG. 1A with a user stepping theopen lid;

FIG. 1C shows the prior art cart of FIG. 1B with the user being pulledto the ground by the collapsing cart;

FIG. 1D shows the prior art cart of FIG. 1C with the user pulled all theway to the ground and against the cart.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a rollout cart according to oneembodiment of the present invention, with the lid in a closed position.

FIG. 3 the rollout cart of FIG. 2, with the lid retained in an openposition by an automatic latch mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the waste bin of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the waste bin of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a resilient latch according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of a rollout cartwith the resilient latch of FIG. 6 with the lid in an open position.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of a rollout cartwith the resilient latch of FIG. 6 with latch adjusted to a releasedposition and the lid moved out of the fully open position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a lid stiffener according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lid stiffener that includesreinforcement ribs according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a partial side view of a lid with an attached lid stiffeneraccording to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a front elevation view of an alternative embodiment of aresilient latch with a locator tab at a top portion of the latch,showing handle support structure in broken lines, with the locator tabreceived within the handle support structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 2-5 show a rollout cart 100 according to one embodiment of thepresent invention. The rollout cart 100 is of the type commonly used todispose of residential waste, such as trash, recyclable waste, and yardwaste, The rollout cart 100 includes a large container 112 with an opentop that can be selectively covered by a lid 114. In FIGS. 2 and 4 thelid 114 is in a closed position completely covering the top opening ofthe container 112. In FIGS. 3 and 5 the lid 114 has been rotated to afully opened position with the lid 114 hanging more or less straightdown along the backside 116 of the container 112. A handle 118 ismounted to the backside 116 of the container 112 by a plurality ofhandle supports 120 near the upper end of the container 112. The handle118 may be used as the male portion of a hinge joint for the lid 114.Specifically, hinge connectors 122 may be used to hingedly attach thelid 114 to the handle 118. Alternatively, the lid 114 may be hinged toseparate structure provided at the backside 116 of the container 112.Accordingly, to move the lid 114 from the closed position of FIG. 2 tothe fully opened position of FIG. 3, the user simply pulls the lid 114generally upwardly and rearwardly, such that the free end 124 rotatesaround the handle 118 (in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIGS.1 and 2). The lid 114 rotates through an angle of about 270 degreesbetween the closed and open positions. Once the lid 114 is moved suchthat its center of gravity is beyond the joint formed at the handle 118,gravity will automatically urge the lid 114 to the completely openposition of FIG. 3, wherein the lid 114 is hanging generally directlybelow the handle 118. A pair of wheels 125 is mounted at a lower portionof the container 112 at or near the backside 116 such that the wheels125 are generally on the same side of the container 112 as the handle118.

The structure of the rollout cart 100 described so far is a common andwell-known structure used at millions of residences around the world.

The rollout cart 100 shown in FIGS. 2-5 also includes a latch 126 thatis unique and greatly improves the safety and convenience of the rolloutcart 100. The latch 126 will automatically capture and retain the lid114 in the fully opened position of FIGS. 3 and 5 when the lid 114 isopened. The weight of the lid 114 is sufficient to move the lid past thelatch 126 into the open position of FIG. 3. The latch 126 therebypermits a user to move the cart 100 without the lid 114 swinging to aposition where it is prone to being stepped upon by the user. The latch126 can be adjusted by a user to permit the user to rotate the lid 114back to the closed position of FIGS. 2 and 4, when desired.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a resilient latch 200 that could be usedas the latch 126 of FIGS. 2-5. The latch 200 includes a base 210 that isadapted to be mounted to a container. The base 210 is a flat plate thatis suitable for attachment to the side of a container, for example byusing bolts, lock washers, and nuts, or rivets, or other knownattachments mechanisms through opening 211. A resilient arm 212 extendsfrom the base 210. A catch 214 is mounted at the free end of theresilient arm 212 and extends below the arm 212 to capture the proximaledge of the lid between the inner side 215 of the catch 214 and thecontainer. The outer side of the catch 214 has a cam surface 216 to flexthe resilient arm 212 upward as the lid bears against cam surface 216. Ahandle portion 222 may be provided above the cam surface 216 to assist auser in moving the catch 214 to a released position that permits the lidto be rotated from the fully open position back to the closed position.The embodiment of FIG. 6 also includes tabs 226 that are used to locatethe latch 200 relative to a handle support structure so that the latch200 is properly located and aligned to interact with the container lid.Specifically, the tabs 226 will align with, or interact with, a portionof the handle support structure so that the latch is located uniformlyon each container. A lip 228 extends inwardly at a top portion of thebase 210. The lip 228 may also be useful for locating and securing thelatch 200 under a top lip of the container 240. The latch 200 may beapplied to new rollout carts, or may be used to retrofit existing fleetsof rollout carts. The resilient arm 212 is shaped such that it willpermit the catch 214 at the free end of the arm 212 to flex generally upand down. FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of a resilient latch 500 thatis similar to the latch 200 of FIG. 6, except that the tab 526 islocated at an upper portion of the base 510. The tab 526 can be used tolocate the latch 500 at a handle support structure (shown in dashedlines) that has a downward facing opening that receives the tab 526 sothat the latch 500 is located and oriented in a desired and uniformposition. Alternatively, the tabs 226 or 526 can align with otherfeatures of the container, such as reinforcement structures, to properlyposition and align the latch 200 or 500 to interact with the lid.

The latch 200 may be a unitary injection molded article formed fromnylon, polyethylene plastic, or other suitable material. The importantqualities are that the arm 212 has sufficient resilience and durabilityto permit repeated flexing as the lid moves in and out of the fully openposition, that the base 210 be sufficiently strong to permanently securethe latch 200 to a container, that the catch 214 have sufficientstrength to retain the lid in the fully open position, and that the camsurface 216 be smooth and durable enough to permit the lid to slideacross it without catching or undue wear. Other plastics, metals, andcomposite materials maybe use used. Alternatively, the latch 200 couldbe integrally formed with the container, for example during a moldingprocess for the container itself.

FIG. 7 shows the latch 200 of FIG. 6 mounted to a rear side 244 of acontainer 240. The container 240 may be an existing rollout cart. As istypical, the container 240 may include a lip 242 that overhangs the side244 to increase the stiffness of the container 240.

The latch 200 is mounted to the container 240 by a threaded fastener 246provided through the base 210. The base 210 could also be attached tothe container 240 using rivets. The lip 228 of the latch 200 fits underand engages the lip 242 of the container 240 to provide additionalsupport and to properly locate the latch 200. The latch 200 may also belocated against the handle support 254 using the tabs 226 (see FIG. 6).

In FIG. 7, the lid 250 is in the fully open position and is retainedthere by the catch 214. The handle 252. acts as hinge for the lid 250.In FIG. 8, the lid 250 is rotated towards the closed position. To movethe lid 250 past the catch 214 to the position of FIG. 8, a user wouldpull on the handle portion 222 of the latch 200, which causes theresilient aim 212 to flex and move the catch 214 out of the arc ofrotation of the inner portion of the lid 250. The user may be able touse the handle 252 as a support for the user's hand to pull against whenmoving the latch to the position of FIG. 8, It may be desirable toslightly angle the face of the catch 214 downwardly and toward thecontainer 240 so that a strong pull on the lid 250 will free it from thecatch 214 without damaging the latch 200 or the lid 250.

Gravity will urge the lid 250 from the position of FIG. 8 towards thefully opened position of FIG. 7. The inner edge of the lid 250 willengage and push against the cam surface 216 of the latch 200. The camsurface 216 is shaped concavely and facing generally downwardly and awayfrom the back side of the container 240. As the inner corner of the lid250 pushes against the cam surface 216 it will flex the resilient arm212 causing the catch 214 to move upwardly until the lid 250 is clear ofthe catch 214. Once the lid 250 is clear of the catch 214, the resilientarm 212 will snap the catch back to the position of FIG. 7 to retain thelid 250 in the fully open position.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show lid stiffeners 300 and 400 that may be used toreinforce the portion of the lid 250 that engages the catch 214. In manyinstances a lid stiffener will not be needed as the lid will havesufficient strength and integrity without the stiffener. The stiffeners300, 400 may be molded from resilient material such that they can besnapped into place on the lid 250 without use of any special tools orseparate fasteners. Stiffener 400 includes ribs 420 that provideadditional stiffness. The appropriate stiffener 300 or 400, or nostiffener, may be selected depending upon the needs.

FIG. 11 shows a lid 250 with a stiffener 300 in place on the lid 250.The stiffener 300 has an interference fit with an inner wall of the lid250 to retain the stiffener 300 in place. The stiffener 300 stiffens thelid 250 and provides a wear surface that engages the cam surface 216 andcatch 214 of the resilient 212.

Those with skill in the art will readily recognize that numerousstructures may be substituted for the exact embodiment shown while stillremaining within the spirit of the invention. For example, and withoutlimitation, the latching assembly could be a magnetic catch and strike,a cam latch, a double roller catch latch, a compression latch, or aspring device. Furthermore, the latching assembly could be located nearthe bottom portion the container and include a release mechanismactivated by the user's foot.

What is claimed:
 1. A waste disposal roll-out cart comprising: acontainer with an open top; a handle on the container at a first side ofthe container; a pair of wheels mounted to the container proximate tothe first side of the container; a lid hingedly attached to thecontainer proximate to the first side of the container, the lid beingadjustable between a closed position covering the open top and a fullyopen position wherein a free end of the lid is rotated to be proximateto the first side of the container; and a latching mechanism thatautomatically engages the lid to retain the lid in the fully openposition, the latching mechanism including: a base mounted to thecontainer; a resilient arm extending from the base; a catch structure ata free end of the resilient arm, the catch structure including a catch,and wherein the resilient arm urges the catch into a catching positionthat interferes with an arc of rotation for the lid to retain the lid inthe fully open position.
 2. The waste disposal roll-out cart of claim 1,wherein the catch that extends below the resilient arm and engages aproximal edge of the lid.
 3. The wake disposal roll-out cart of claim 2,wherein the lid includes a reinforcing structure at the proximal edgethat contacts the catch as the lid moves into the fully open positionfrom a closed position.
 4. The waste disposal roll-out cart of claim 2,wherein the base is located in alignment with handle structure.
 5. Thewaste disposal roll-out cart of claim 2, wherein the base is located inalignment with a container reinforcement structure.
 6. The wastedisposal roll-out cart of claim 2, wherein an upper portion of the baseis located against an upper lip of the container.
 7. The waste disposalroll-out cart of claim 2, wherein the base comprises a tab that isadapted to locate the latch on the container.
 8. A method of adapting adisposal roll-out cart to include a lid latch that retains a lid in anopen position, the method comprising: providing a roll-out cart, theroll-out cart having: a container with an open top, a handle on thecontainer at a first side of the container, a pair of wheels mounted tothe container proximate to the first side of the container, a lidhingedly attached to the container proximate to the first side of thecontainer, the lid being adjustable between a closed position coveringthe open top and a fully open position wherein a free end of the lid isrotated to be proximate to the first side of the container; andproviding a latching mechanism, the latching mechanism including: a basemounted to the container; a resilient arm extending from the base; and acatch structure at a free end of the resilient arm, the catch structureincluding a catch, and wherein the resilient arm urges the catch into acatching position; and mounting the base to the first side of thecontainer proximate to an upper end of the container positioned suchthat the catch interferes with an arc of rotation for the lid to retainthe lid in the fully open position when the catch is in the catchingposition.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the base comprises a tab,the mounting step further comprising locating the tab against a featureon the container.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the feature on thecontainer is a handle support structure.